Spices are food seasonings that come from the different parts of a plant such as buds, bark, fruits, flowers, roots, seeds, and stems. These spices have played a very important role in the development of Western civilization. In ancient and medieval times, spices were rare and precious. To look at the history of spices is to look at the history of civilization as we know it.

Today, spices play an important role in any culinary activity: they are used for their fragrance, flavor and taste. They also have a number of medicinal properties.

The first recorded documentation of the use of spices as medicine is found among the documents of the ancient Sumerians. This was over five thousand years ago. More than four thousand years ago, we have records that the Chinese also used more than 300 different herbs and spices for medicinal purposes. More than three thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians used spices for a variety of purposes, including embalming mummies.

The Greeks and Romans have also used spices for a variety of reasons. The Greeks wore laurel leaves in the shape of a crown on their heads to honor their heroes. The Romans used herbs for magic and sorcery.

From the Middle Ages onwards, herbs began to be cultivated even in the western parts of the world. But before that, trade was the only means of obtaining these spices. Therefore, these spices were often considered very precious and highly valuable as trade goods.

From around 3000 B.C. C. until 200 a. C., the Arabs were the main traders of spices in the western world. The Romans took over the trade and controlled it until around 1200. From 1200 to 1500, Europeans explored different routes to the eastern parts of the world and began to take over the spice trade. The period between the 15th and 17th centuries even saw the outbreak of wars for control of the spice trade.

The period between the 16th and 18th centuries saw the English explore and control the spice trade. After this period, Americans also entered the spice trading community.

Thus, one can see that the history of spices has always been a history of control, power and wealth. Spices have proven to be the number one commercial product that has made a huge difference in many people’s lives, especially in the way we eat, simply because they taste better with a little spice!